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Copper Copartnership Cracked
Since December 2007, a group of immigration offenders had been stealing copper wire cables from places around Singapore. These immigration offenders were said to be staying in forested areas off Marsiling. In the afternoons, they would reconnoitre around Singapore for suitable targets. They would then commit the crime at these targeted areas in the dark of the night. After the theft was done, they would bring the stolen items to a deserted area for stripping and dismantling. The copper wires would then be sold to shops dealing in used metal parts.
2. Unknown to them, ICA officers had been monitoring them. On 16 January 2008 at around 12.20pm, our officers decided to pounce on them. The three immigration offenders were spotted alighting from a taxi outside a shop along Desker Road. Then, they started moving some gunny sacks into the shop. While they were in the shop, the ICA officers swooped in on them. The three men had put up a struggle to evade arrest, but they were swiftly overpowered.
3. Four huge gunny sacks retrieved from the shop were found to be filled with copper wire cables, weighing approximately 200 kg in total.
4. The three men were Indonesians, aged between 23 and 29. Two of them were overstayers, whereas one was a former illegal immigrant who sneaked back into Singapore after his repatriation.
5. The shop-owner and her husband, a permanent resident and a Singapore citizen respectively, were also detained. All five persons, along with the stolen items, have been handed over to the Police for investigations.
Related penalties
6. ICA takes a serious view of immigration offences. Under the Immigration Act, the penalty for overstaying (exceeding 90 days) is a jail term not exceeding six months, and caning not less than three strokes. In cases where caning cannot be administered, the offender will be fined up to $6,000. The penalty for unlawfully returning to Singapore after being removed is a jail term of not less than one year and not more than 3 years, and a fine not exceeding $6,000. The offender will also be removed from Singapore.
Potential problems caused by immigration offenders
7. ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to enter and overstay in Singapore illegally. ICA will continue to work with our strategic partners to flush out immigration offenders, particularly those who may pose problems to the safety and security of our country.
2. Unknown to them, ICA officers had been monitoring them. On 16 January 2008 at around 12.20pm, our officers decided to pounce on them. The three immigration offenders were spotted alighting from a taxi outside a shop along Desker Road. Then, they started moving some gunny sacks into the shop. While they were in the shop, the ICA officers swooped in on them. The three men had put up a struggle to evade arrest, but they were swiftly overpowered.
3. Four huge gunny sacks retrieved from the shop were found to be filled with copper wire cables, weighing approximately 200 kg in total.
4. The three men were Indonesians, aged between 23 and 29. Two of them were overstayers, whereas one was a former illegal immigrant who sneaked back into Singapore after his repatriation.
5. The shop-owner and her husband, a permanent resident and a Singapore citizen respectively, were also detained. All five persons, along with the stolen items, have been handed over to the Police for investigations.
Related penalties
6. ICA takes a serious view of immigration offences. Under the Immigration Act, the penalty for overstaying (exceeding 90 days) is a jail term not exceeding six months, and caning not less than three strokes. In cases where caning cannot be administered, the offender will be fined up to $6,000. The penalty for unlawfully returning to Singapore after being removed is a jail term of not less than one year and not more than 3 years, and a fine not exceeding $6,000. The offender will also be removed from Singapore.
Potential problems caused by immigration offenders
7. ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners to enter and overstay in Singapore illegally. ICA will continue to work with our strategic partners to flush out immigration offenders, particularly those who may pose problems to the safety and security of our country.